After touring with his rock band nonstop, Devin Dawson decided to go back to his country roots with a dark and bold sound, where he is currently finding success within the music genre.

The 28-year-old California native’s hit single, “All on Me,” debuted about a month ago in Billboard’s top 100 at #98 and currently resides at #93. Narrow down the spectrum to only “Hot Country Songs,” and Dawson’s single can be found at #19. It also currently has over 35 million streams on Spotify.

Vocals that are very distinguishable, depicting romance and vulnerability, become one with the catchy chords Dawson composes. The combination of the lyrics and chords make for a song so sleek and raw that it will keep your attention from the beginning to end.

His approach to country music is one that is unusual to the more common formula that his colleagues use. It’s has a different purpose and that purpose is what makes Dawson a modern storyteller through his work. It’s easy to see why the singer is named in PEOPLE’s Ones to Watch list for 2017. Not only that, but he has also received praise from Entertainment Weekly, ELLE and Rolling Stone, and made his TV debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

With his song “Dark Horse,” Dawson does an amazing job depicting a passion for country music that comes straight from his heart, with clever phrasing that allows you to easily see who he is and what he believes in.

“Honest To God” is another one of his great songs, which is featured in the original motion picture, “The Shack.” Yet again, Dawson speaks through a smooth rhythm that does not at all sound like the typical country song one would imagine.

Signing with Atlantic Records / Warner Music Nashville in 2016, Dawson was peaked to expand his presence in country music. Why the singer decided to name his debut album “Dark Horse,” which is set for release on Jan. 19, can be easily seen. The album is currently available for pre-order with “All on Me,” “Dark Horse” and “Secondhand Hurt” currently available to download.

The “Dark Horse” artist is currently on the road and information regarding tour dates can be found on his website.

Exploring new Electronic Dance Music is something that I like to do during my free time. I become thrilled when I discover any new, refreshing sound that catches my attention.

Because I enjoy finding new sounds within the EDM genre, I have a whole bunch of music streaming apps such as SoundCloud, Spotify, Shazam, MixCloud and Apple Music. Usually, my whole day revolves around these apps – literally. From when I wake up all the way to when I go to sleep, I play a constant flow of refreshing tunes for my ear drums to enjoy and to add a hint of spice to my day.

When I was first introduced to this genre, which happened to be in the year 2013, I stuck to two sub-genres: trance and electro-house. I was very loyal to these two sub-genres, which feature artists such as Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Above & Beyond and W&W. I refused to listen to anything else other than sounds that were of the these categories.

This all changed right around the time when I started going to EDM festivals, because I would literally stay at these events from start to finish (the main artists that I wanted to see weren’t going to play until the very end of the shows). Although I always wound up exhausted from being on my feet, jumping and dancing for 8-12 hours, I found it to be worth it.

Experiencing the different sounds brought by all the diverse artists that fall under the EDM umbrella completely changes your perspective on their work. All of a sudden, I was exposed to new names, such as Will Sparks (melbourne bounce), Yellow Claw (trap), Eric Prydz (techno house), Oliver Heldens (deep house), Illenium (bass house) and Don Diablo (future house).

I started becoming more open and embraced their unique work. I suddenly had the desire to become more familiar with these new genres, and with artists similar to the ones that played the festivals. A more recent example of this sense of discovery happened at Escape: Psycho Circus 2017, where I became exposed to Rezz. I did not know who she was or what genre she fell under, but she blew me away with her performance. Her sound is so unique that it literally falls into it’s own sub-category.

Overall, when going to the events your choice, go at the beginning and support the openers and their work. They got booked for a reason. And who knows, maybe you too will find excitement in discovering something new.

I remember saying that, only to keep on going to rave after rave and eventually saying the same thing at EDC Las Vegas 2017.

When I was 17 years old, I came across Electronic Dance Music on YouTube. “Armin van Buuren live at Ultra Miami 2014,” was the first live set that I watched. Ever since then, Armin became my favorite DJ and got me hooked on EDM. I eventually started to watch more videos of other DJs’ live sets and became pretty familiar with the big names such as Hardwell, Martin Garrix, Tiesto, Axwell /\ Ingrosso (two-thirds of Swedish House Mafia), Yellow Claw, etc… The genre grew on me and that’s all I listened to.

At the time, I was still in high school and not many people liked EDM; I felt like an outcast and didn’t really talk about EDM with anyone. I remember only talking to a couple of people that I knew who were also into EDM at the time. They would bring up “EDC” into the conversations and I was confused as to what “EDC” was.

I did my research, only to be amazed to find out what the Electric Daisy Festival was: the biggest rave in the United States filled with multiple stages and with production like no other. I had to go. But, there was no way I could go in 2014 due to the festival being 18+. Then, December 2014 came and I finally turned 18. I attended my first rave, which happened to be a New Year’s Eve rave here in San Diego.

I got hooked straight away. The thumping bass lines, the multiple lights flashing, lasers, LED screens and confetti popping out after the bass drop made for an unforgettable atmosphere that I enjoyed, along with thousands of other people who shared the same interest.

I wanted to go to more raves, but had no one else to go with since everyone I knew at the time was under 18. And, due to this, it was a quiet 2015 until September, when one of my friends turned 18. From then on, I attended other events such as Nocturnal Wonderland, Escape: Psycho Circus, Countdown NYE as well as smaller events and some Artist/DJ shows. I had no urge to stop and literally had at least one rave planned out for each month. June 2016 came and that’s when I had the opportunity to attend EDC Las Vegas 2016.

Even though all my friends flaked on going to EDC, I decided that they weren’t going to stop me and I went alone. Even today, this is a decision I will never regret in my life.

Experiencing a festival of such magnitude alone makes you appreciate everything that life has to offer. How people set aside differences and hate in the interest of unity, brought on by music that has no language barriers. I connected with a lot of people and also grew as a person on my single EDC trip. It made me realize that we shouldn’t let anyone stop us from doing what we want with our lives. At the time, I again said that it would be my last rave. But yet again I couldn’t resist.

Nocturnal Wonderland, Escape, Countdown NYE, other, EDC. Nocturnal Wonderland, Escape, Countdown NYE, other, EDC. This is the schedule that I have been repeating ever since 2015. Of course, every single time I attend these events, it’s a unique experience where I meet some new people and see some people that I met previously. I mostly attend these events alone now. I don’t bother asking people if they want to join me because, honestly, I prefer it this way. It gets me to talk more to people around me and let’s me enjoy the experience without having to constantly worry about somebody else.

Now, here I am in 2017, fresh out of Escape, writing about the 20+ raves that I have attended and will continue to attend (because I already have tickets for raves in the upcoming months). I’ll admit it, it’s getting harder and harder doing the same thing. Not because it’s getting repetitive, but because my body is starting to hurt after these events. Maybe EDC Las Vegas 2018 will finally be my last rave? I guess I won’t find out until then.

Halloween is creeping closer and closer, which means that it’s time to get spooky. And, what better way to celebrate pre-Halloween than dancing to some intense bass lines from over 75 artists that will have no mercy on your soul?

Enter if you dare: Insomniac Events will be holding the largest two-day Halloween music festival in Southern California on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday Oct. 28 at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, Calif.

This year will be the seventh anniversary of the electrifying EDM festival. It will feature a brand new Slaughterhouse (mainstage) where uprising artists, along with the heavyweights of EDM, will provide the soundwaves for the souls and ghouls to shake to on the dance floor.

Friday’s Slaughterhouse lineup consists of massive names such as Illenium, Marshmello, DJ Snake and Madeon. On the same night, Bassrush will host the Ghoul’s Graveyard with Flosstradamus, Datsik and Nero providing the tunes for the soon to be dead. Basscon, on the other hand, will host the Chopping Block on Friday night and will provide faster and harder BPMs, like Darren Styles. The Factory 93 will take over Cannibal’s tea party with sounds such as those of Green Velvet.

Saturday will be a deadly one with Tiesto, Afrojack, Slander and many other DJs taking over the Slaughterhouse. The equally impressive lineup at Ghoul’s Graveyard will feature tech-house legend Eric Prydz, the future house sound of Don Diablo and the well-known Zedd, as well as the electro-house beats of Firebeatz. Audiotistic will be hosting the Chopping Block on Saturday, with acts such as Slushii an Baauer performing. Chris Liebing and other tech-house artists will take over the Cannibal’s Tea Party, hosted by Factory 93.

EDM headliners from all over Southern California will be taking part in this celebration, and there’s no better way to escape reality and celebrate Halloween than to join the Psycho Circus.

Single day tickets, along with VIP (21+) tickets are still available, for those who dare to enter on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the event ends at 2 a.m.